Hi Everyone

I give up. What was that? Just seen (13.20 on 16th June 08) a very bright
star like object like Venus at sun set but this was just north of the zenith
during bright sunlight. It twinkled and at first, I thought is was drifting
slowly (much slower that Iridium flares or the ISS) south-east but after a
few minutes it was drifting slowly north-east. I see a few UFOs but if I
stare at them long enough I figure out what they are (pink balloons, seeds,
cars, you know the usual) but this one's stumped me. The only thing I can
think it might be is a weather balloon. Any thoughts welcome. I'm about ten
miles south-east of Dumfries and haven't touched a drop (yet!).

TIA Neil

Neil schrieb:
> Hi Everyone
> 
> I give up. What was that? Just seen (13.20 on 16th June 08) a very bright
> star like object like Venus at sun set but this was just north of the zenith
> during bright sunlight. It twinkled and at first, I thought is was drifting
> slowly (much slower that Iridium flares or the ISS) south-east but after a
> few minutes it was drifting slowly north-east. I see a few UFOs but if I
> stare at them long enough I figure out what they are (pink balloons, seeds,
> cars, you know the usual) but this one's stumped me. The only thing I can
> think it might be is a weather balloon. Any thoughts welcome. I'm about ten
> miles south-east of Dumfries and haven't touched a drop (yet!).
> 
> TIA Neil
> 
> 

Maybe it was a sky lantern. They are causing a lot UFO reportings :-)
http://www.tradekey.com/ks-kongming-lantern

Yogi

"Yogi"  wrote in message 
news:g3a9vu$ms1$1@daniel-new.mch.sbs.de...
> Neil schrieb:
>> Hi Everyone
>>
>> I give up. What was that? Just seen (13.20 on 16th June 08) a very bright
>> star like object like Venus at sun set but this was just north of the 
>> zenith
>> during bright sunlight. It twinkled and at first, I thought is was 
>> drifting
>> slowly (much slower that Iridium flares or the ISS) south-east but after 
>> a
>> few minutes it was drifting slowly north-east. I see a few UFOs but if I
>> stare at them long enough I figure out what they are (pink balloons, 
>> seeds,
>> cars, you know the usual) but this one's stumped me. The only thing I can
>> think it might be is a weather balloon. Any thoughts welcome. I'm about 
>> ten
>> miles south-east of Dumfries and haven't touched a drop (yet!).
>>
>> TIA Neil
>>
>>
>
> Maybe it was a sky lantern. They are causing a lot UFO reportings :-)
> http://www.tradekey.com/ks-kongming-lantern
>
> Yogi

Indeed.  Not to mention brush and forest fires.  The things are powered by 
liquid fueled lamps.

I have received a few UFO queries at University of London Observatory that 
seem to have been caused by lanterns much like these if not identical.

-- 
Mike Dworetsky

(Remove pants sp*mbl*ck to reply)

Yogi wrote:
> Neil schrieb:
>> Hi Everyone
>>
>> I give up. What was that? Just seen (13.20 on 16th June 08) a very bright
>> star like object like Venus at sun set but this was just north of the 
>> zenith
>> during bright sunlight. It twinkled and at first, I thought is was 
>> drifting
>> slowly (much slower that Iridium flares or the ISS) south-east but 
>> after a
>> few minutes it was drifting slowly north-east. I see a few UFOs but if I
>> stare at them long enough I figure out what they are (pink balloons, 
>> seeds,
>> cars, you know the usual) but this one's stumped me. The only thing I can
>> think it might be is a weather balloon. Any thoughts welcome. I'm 
>> about ten
>> miles south-east of Dumfries and haven't touched a drop (yet!).
>>
>> TIA Neil
>>
>>
> 
> Maybe it was a sky lantern. They are causing a lot UFO reportings :-)
> http://www.tradekey.com/ks-kongming-lantern
> 
> Yogi

I was in Phuket, Thailand over Christmas, there were dozens of these 
things floating around that night (sky lanterns)...had me totally 
baffled for quite some time!

Titian

Imagine the potential dangers to crops, forests, moorland and thatched
houses after a long dry spell.
Makes a change from forcefeeding rubber balloons to pets and wildlife,
I suppose.
Release and forget. It's no longer the user's problem provided they
make a quick buck and get some local attention.
Much like dropping your needles in the park after your fix.
Or your tangled fishing gear on the beach.

http://www.flyingchineselanterns.com/index2.htm

Thank you all for the replies however I don't think it was a skylantern.
I've seen a few of these lift off recently and whatever I saw was MUCH
brighter than them. I said 'like Venus after sunset' but this was in the
middle of the day, a bright sunlit day, so this thing must have been really
bright. Also the lanterns I saw were orange-y in colour but this was white
like reflected sunlight. I've no way of knowing how high this thing was but
I got the impression that it was really high, much higher that the lanterns
I've seen in the past. Thanks again but are there any more thoughts please?

Chris B wrote>
Much like dropping your needles in the park after your fix.

Your? What are you implying? ;-)

Titian wrote>
I was in Phuket, Thailand over Christmas, there were dozens of these
things floating around that night (sky lanterns)...had me totally
baffled for quite some time!

When I was in Glasgow, and sometimes when I was near other cities, I saw
lights hanging in the sky. I was baffled for a long time too. Eventually
realised they were planes coming into land and were heading 'more or less'
towards me.

Neil

Thank you all for the replies however I don't think it was a skylantern.
I've seen a few of these lift off recently and whatever I saw was MUCH
brighter than them. I said 'like Venus after sunset' but this was in the
middle of the day, a bright sunlit day, so this thing must have been really
bright. Also the lanterns I saw were orange-y in colour but this was white
like reflected sunlight. I've no way of knowing how high this thing was but
I got the impression that it was really high, much higher that the lanterns
I've seen in the past. Thanks again but are there any more thoughts please?

Chris B wrote>
Much like dropping your needles in the park after your fix.

Your? What are you implying? ;-)

Titian wrote>
I was in Phuket, Thailand over Christmas, there were dozens of these
things floating around that night (sky lanterns)...had me totally
baffled for quite some time!

When I was in Glasgow, and sometimes when I was near other cities, I saw
lights hanging in the sky. I was baffled for a long time too. Eventually
realised they were planes coming into land and were heading 'more or less'
towards me.

Neil

"Neil"  wrote in message 
news:g35nlg$s0v$1@aioe.org...
> Hi Everyone
>
> I give up. What was that? Just seen (13.20 on 16th June 08) a very bright
> star like object like Venus at sun set but this was just north of the 
> zenith
> during bright sunlight. It twinkled and at first, I thought is was 
> drifting
> slowly (much slower that Iridium flares or the ISS) south-east but after a
> few minutes it was drifting slowly north-east. I see a few UFOs but if I
> stare at them long enough I figure out what they are (pink balloons, 
> seeds,
> cars, you know the usual) but this one's stumped me. The only thing I can
> think it might be is a weather balloon. Any thoughts welcome. I'm about 
> ten
> miles south-east of Dumfries and haven't touched a drop (yet!).
>
> TIA Neil
>
>

Possibly a high altitude weather balloon?

-- 
Mike Dworetsky

(Remove pants sp*mbl*ck to reply)

Hi Mike

"Mike Dworetsky"  wrote in message
news:GeydnR8hodFHhsDVnZ2dnUVZ8szinZ2d@bt.com...
> "Neil"  wrote in message
> news:g35nlg$s0v$1@aioe.org...
> > Hi Everyone
> >
> > cars, you know the usual) but this one's stumped me. The only thing I
can
> > think it might be is a weather balloon.
> >
>
> Possibly a high altitude weather balloon?

Yes, guess that's what it must have been. Just really eerie the way it
caught the sun light like that. Anyway, thank you & thank all the other
responders.

Neil

"Neil"  wrote in message 
news:g3qdjb$aiv$1@aioe.org...
> Hi Mike
>
> "Mike Dworetsky"  wrote in message
> news:GeydnR8hodFHhsDVnZ2dnUVZ8szinZ2d@bt.com...
>> "Neil"  wrote in message
>> news:g35nlg$s0v$1@aioe.org...
>> > Hi Everyone
>> >
>> > cars, you know the usual) but this one's stumped me. The only thing I
> can
>> > think it might be is a weather balloon.
>> >
>>
>> Possibly a high altitude weather balloon?
>
> Yes, guess that's what it must have been. Just really eerie the way it
> caught the sun light like that. Anyway, thank you & thank all the other
> responders.
>
> Neil
>
>

I can vividly recall seeing one once, a few minutes before sunset, then 
suddenly it turned into a twinkling bright "star".  With a telescope I found 
a remarkable view of a cloud of shiny debris twisting and scintillating as 
it expanded.  Apparently I had spotted one just at the point when it 
"popped" and dropped its instrument package on a parachute.

I worked out what it was, but for someone without a telescope or optical aid 
I could see how it could be styled a UFO. Unidentified yes; extraterrestial 
(cue theremin music) no.

-- 
Mike Dworetsky

(Remove pants sp*mbl*ck to reply)

"Mike Dworetsky"  wrote in message

 > I can vividly recall seeing one once, a few minutes before sunset, then
> suddenly it turned into a twinkling bright "star".  With a telescope I
found
> a remarkable view of a cloud of shiny debris twisting and scintillating as
> it expanded.  Apparently I had spotted one just at the point when it
> "popped" and dropped its instrument package on a parachute.

WOW! That must have been an impressive sight.

Neil